The radar characteristics
of lava flows on Venus can be quite instructive regarding the distribution
of lava flow types. In this Magellan radar image of the summit area of
the Sif Mons volcano (slide #33) on Venus
(24°N, 352°E) we can see that radar-smooth flows (pahoehoe?) are found
close to the western rim of the summit caldera, while radar-bright (a’a?)
flows make up the more distal flows and surface units on the eastern flanks.
This relationship is the same as the one observed in the Ka’u Desert
with the SIR-B data (slides #26 and
#27), perhaps indicating similar eruption characteristics.